kicking it old skool

"SpaceShipOne wins the $10 Million Ansari X Prize in Historic 2nd Trip to Space".

Clickety Click...

I read that line a couple of times. The real significance didn't really settle in till a while later: flying into space will one day be as simple as taking the bus to work. No longer science fiction, or pie in the sky ideals. No longer the playground of a few lucky NASA astronauts, who had to endure years of balls-to-the-wall training, potential budget cuts and of late, having to deal with the fear that the firecracker you're riding into space (built by the lowest bidder) doesn't go boom!!

Granted, the average Joe will never be able to afford this initially. I can well imagine that the cost of a return ticket will be astronomical (excuse the pun). But as with all new technology over the ages it will become more and more accessable as time goes on.

I've always had a thing about space travel. Which is the ultimate paradox in my life, considering that I was shit scared leaving my own country, let alone my home planet!! I have adressed this though, with my recent trip over to the UK / Amsterdam and the subsequent kick off of Operation: Go-Ahead-London.

I'm quite keen to see what the future will hold for space travel, from the commercial point of view. Will we see what we're seeing in the software / telecoms / aerospace (take your pic) arenas, where you have a hand full of companies who'll monopolise the industry, buying out the patents and rights to all the tech required to get your ass into space? Will this effectively kill off Scientific research and pave the way for billlboards in space, Burger Kings on the moon and strip mining of asteriods (ala big oil companies on Ground Zero)?

Only time will tell, I guess.

[G], out

please do that voodoo that you do so well